Technician&#39;s laptop table

ABSTRACT

A tilt-adjustable table for a laptop computer to be mounted on a cabinet or similar horizontal surface that has an upward protruding vertical extension at the outside edge. The table contains two side support brackets, each of which is pivotal and folds under the table. The pivotal supports are fastened to the underside of the table and have elongated slotted holes in the pivotal supports to allow the pivotal support and bracket to move forward and backward. The support brackets and pivotal supports slide back under the table and fold under the tilt-adjustable table into a collapsible and portable laptop table. Positioned at the end of the support bracket are height adjustable knobs on lower extended arms, which allow the table to tilt to the proper working angle. Positioned at the end of the support brackets are downwardly protruding lips on upper extended arms, which engages the upward protruding vertical extension of a cabinet.

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,722,624 Mar., 1998 Watt D438,729 Aug., 2000Weitzman 6,505,797 Lan., 2003 Dempsey 6,701,851 Mar., 2004 Ibrahim

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RELATED ART

U.S. Pat. No. D428,729 discloses a portable collapsible laptop computertable.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,851 discloses a stand for reading materials andlaptop computers, which is height adjustable and tiltable and has a lipto hold materials.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,797 discloses a collapsible laptop stand, which ismounted on vertical structures or set on horizontal surfaces.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,624 discloses a laptop computer support thatattaches to horizontal surfaces. The patented support clampingly securesto a table surface. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,624 issued to RichardWatt, et al, patented laptop computer support, differs from the presentinvention because the bracket, support and pivotal structures are notcollapsible, do not fold to a compact form, is not easily transported ina laptop computer case, and is designed for use on a table's edgewhereas the present invention forms a unique clamping and angleadjustment design that is collapsible, compact, portable and is uniquelydesigned to attach to utility cabinets that house computerized devicesrequiring a laptop interface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to platforms or table devices forsupporting laptop computers. The tables are supported by two bracketsthat have a clamp structure opening, a protruding support arm anddownwardly protruding lip and are tiltable by height adjustment knobs atthe end of each bracket protruding support arm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a table and bracket structure for supporting alaptop computer. It is one the main objectives of the present inventionto provide a collapsible and portable laptop stand that can be easilymounted on a utility cabinet's lower horizontal surface that contains avertical upwardly protruding lip. The laptop table comprises a flat topsection having non-slip pads equally positioned at each corner and aretaining lip positioned at the bottom edge. Each support bracket islocated on the underside of the top section and attached to pivotalstructures that allow the support bracket to slide forward to engage theutility cabinet's lower horizontal surface and vertical lip. Heightadjustment knobs contact the bottom surface of the utility cabinet'slower horizontal surface and thus raise or lower to adjust the tableangle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will be morefully described in the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tilt-adjustable technician's laptoptable support for a laptop computer in its normal use configuration,incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tilt-adjustable technician's laptoptable support for a laptop computer in its folded, portableconfiguration.

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view showing the support bracketsretracted and extended, thereof with the left side view being identical.

FIG. 4 is sectional view of the right support bracket and pivotalstructure in its normal use position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the right support bracket and pivotalstructure in its folded, portable configuration.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an extended support brackets and pivotalstructures configuration with broken line showing the bottom surface ofthe lower horizontal surface of a utility cabinet.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a retracted support brackets and pivotalstructures configuration with broken line showing the bottom surface ofthe lower horizontal surface of a utility cabinet.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a retracted and folded support brackets andpivotal structures configuration with broken line showing the bottomsurface of the lower horizontal surface of a utility cabinet.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the technician's laptop table in anormal use configuration relative to a broken line showing the utilitycabinet and its relation to attachment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The tilt-adjustable support table of the present invention, which isgenerally designated as 10 in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, isintended for supporting a suitable device, such as a laptop computer,not shown, in a user tilt-adjustable position relative to a suitablesupport, such as a utility cabinet or electrical panel 28 as shown inFIG. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, being comprised of 30 horizontal surface with aupwardly facing surface 24, and a downwardly facing surface 23, and avertical lip 25 extending upward from the outer edge of 30 horizontalsurface.

The table 31 consists of an upwardly facing surface 13 and a downwardlyfacing surface 26. A lip 17 functions to prevent the laptop from slidingoff the flat upwardly facing surface 13. The non-slip pads 3 aredesigned and positioned to come in contact with the feet of a variety oflaptop models, thus preventing the laptop from shifting position whenthe table 31 is tilted to a variety of angles. Located centrally fromthe left and right sides, right side shown in FIG. 3, of 31 towards thetop edge 34, which is opposite the bottom edge 33 containing the lip, isan elliptical opening 4 that is used as handle to transport and carrythe unit 10.

As best shown FIG. 3, 4, 5, there are two depending support brackets 6extending the length of the table 31 from the bottom edge 33 to the topedge 34. The brackets 6 attach to pivotal structures 18, which aremounted against the table's 31 downwardly facing surface 26. Mountingholes 21, best shown in FIG. 6, 7, 8, are elongated slots to permit thepivotal structures to extend forward and backwards. The support bracket6 and pivotal structure 18 are secured together by means 20. The pivotalstructures 18 and table 31 are secured together by means 19 and betweenthe pivotal structures 18 and means 19 are washers 22, which allows thepivotal structures 18 to be fastened in a manner as to provide ease ofmovement and to allow the pivotal structures 6, which are securelyattached to the support brackets 6, to slide along the length of theelongated slots 21. Thus permitting the support brackets 6 to extend outand clampingly attach to the cabinet 28 structure, while the table 31remains outside the cabinet enclosure so as not to interfere with orengage any miscellaneously mounted devices within the cabinet 28structure. Then, once table 10 is removed from the cabinet 28 structure,the support brackets 6 can be retracted inwardly, sliding back along theelongated slots 21 until the support brackets 6 and table 31 top edge 34and bottom edge 33 as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 3 are alignalong their respective planes as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 3.

Support brackets 6 support the table 31 and are mounted flush againstthe downwardly facing 26 surface. The lower protruding arms 12 ofsupport brackets 6 extend out and underneath the utility 28 cabinet.Located centrally on upwardly facing surfaces 32 of the arms 12 arethreaded holes 16. Bolts 15 engages the holes 16 and are adjusted intoand out of the threaded holes 16 by a turning action of knobs 14, whichare physically attached to bolts 15. Adjustment knobs 14 and bolts 15comprise a height adjustment assembly, which is turned counterclockwiseor clockwise to insert or remove the bolts 15 into or out of thethreaded holes 16. The height adjustment corresponds directly to thetiltability of the table 31. As the height adjustment knob 14 is loweredin relation to arms 12, the unit 10 will tilt downwards. As the heightadjustment knob 14 is raised in relation to arm 12, the unit 10 willtilt upwards. The opening 8 is designed to accept cabinets 28 withvarious horizontal 30 thicknesses and vertical 25 heights by adjustingthe height adjustment knob 14.

Located above the lower extended arms 12 are the openings 8 which acceptthe utility 28 cabinet's vertical 25 and horizontal 30 surfaces. Thesupport brackets 6 have an upper extended arm 35, which has protrudinglips 9 extending downward at the end of the upper extending arm 35 andthe protruding lips 9 rear vertical surface 11 engages the inner surfaceof the vertical 25 lip extension. Height adjustment knobs 14 engage thedownwardly facing 23 surface of the cabinet's 28 horizontal 30 surface,thus holding the table 10 in place against the utility 28 cabinet. Atthe top of vertical 11 surfaces are notches 29, which is positioned andsized to engage the upper portion of vertical 25 lip extension, thuspreventing the table 10 from sliding forward.

The elongated and angled openings 7 in the support brackets 6 are bothdecorative and functional in nature. The openings 7 allow for theremoval of weight from the table 10, producing a physically lighterproduct and also will function as handles or grips in positioningsupport brackets 6.

The product is a tiltable, portable, collapsible, table that can bemounted on a cabinet, utility box, electrical panel to support a laptopcomputer.

The foregoing description conveys a described and illustratedunderstanding of the objectives, advantages, and uses of the presentinvention and it is to be clearly stated that different embodiments maybe made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to beunderstood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merelyas illustrative and not to be limited in scope.

1. A flat top section comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a lipon the top surface centered between the two side surfaces, four non-slippads positioned at each corner of the top surface, two support bracketslocated medially from the two side surfaces of the top section's bottomsurface at least a spacing equal or greater than the thickness of thesupport brackets.
 2. A pair of support brackets, each support bracketcomprising a top surface, bottom surface and the bottom surface slops upat an angle to meet the top surface at an apex and at the opposite endof the support bracket the bracket opens to a form a clampconfiguration. On the support bracket clamp end, the lower portionextends out to contract the underside of a horizontal structure, theupper portion on the clamp structure has a downward protrusion thatcontracts the backside of the horizontal structure's vertical lip, thusholding the support bracket attached to the horizontal structure and itscorresponding vertical lip. The support brackets are mounted on pivotalstructure to allow the support brackets to fold flat against the tabletop section's bottom surface. Also, the pivotal structures haveelongated slotted mounting holes to allow the pivotal structure andsupport brackets to slide back under the top surface until the supportbracket clamp arm protrusion edge is aligned in the plane with the topsections top edge surface plane and rear portion of the support bracketis aligned in the plane of the top section's bottom edge surface plane.3. The angle of the top section is adjusted by height adjustment knobslocated on the top surface of the support bracket clamp end protrusionarm. The knobs turn clockwise to lower the angle and counterclockwise toraise the angle of the table surface and are attached to a threadedbolt, which threads into centrally located tapped hole in the supportbracket clamp end protrusion arm.